Foot found at Sonoma County’s Doran Beach had on a sock, shoe

Investigators Tuesday were still trying to identify the person whose foot washed ashore last week at Doran Beach on the Sonoma Coast.

The foot was inside a black ankle sock and a size 10 men's shoe — the primary clue so far as to the person's possible identity, Sonoma County coroner's Sgt. Adrian Mancilla said. The shoe is a Supra brand skate shoe of black canvas with a brown rubber sole.

A beachgoer spotted the foot Feb. 7 on an eastern area of the beach near the Cypress Day Use parking lot and alerted a state parks ranger. The ranger called the Sheriff's Office at 1:45 p.m.

Detectives have been combing through local missing-person's reports and contacting law enforcement agencies throughout the region. The pathologist examined the foot and took X-rays and found no fractures or identifying features.

The coroner's office submitted DNA evidence to a specialized state Department of Justice lab and may call upon experts from Chico State University's anthropology lab to look for evidence showing the age and gender of the person and how long the foot may have been in the water, Mancilla said.

Mancilla said they've received 'numerous calls' with tips about missing people and they are investigating each one.

Human remains in the ocean are often brought north on the current, so they have focused their inquiries on areas south of Sonoma County, he said. They are also looking at reports of people suspected of and known to have jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge.

Anyone with information about the case can call Detective Ted Vellis at 707-565-5070.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 707-521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jjpressdem.